Mr Bush announced the nomination of Mr Alito, an experienced
judge who sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the
Third Circuit, just four days after Harriet Miers, his
former personal lawyer and confidante, withdrew her
nomination to the court.

Mr Alito is expected to be a popular choice among
conservatives - Mr Bush called him "a man of enormous
character" this morning - but Democrats in Washington have
already suggested that his right wing opinions will lead to
a tough appointment process.

When Mr Alito was rumoured as a replacement for Ms Miers
yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said that his
nomination would "create a lot of problems." Today, Mr Reid
said: "The Senate needs to find out if the man replacing
Miers is too radical for the American people."

Nominating Mr Alito this morning, Mr Bush praised the
55-year-old judge from New Jersey for his "brilliance and
decency" and for applying the law "in a principled fashion".
Mr Alito has been dubbed "Scalito", in honour of the
famously trenchant and conservative Supreme Court Justice,
Antonin Scalia.

"Judge Alito is one of the most accomplished and respected
judges in America, and his long career in public service has
given him an extraordinary breadth of experience," said Mr
Bush today.

"As a Justice Department official, federal prosecutor and
judge on the United States Court of Appeals, Sam Alito has
shown a mastery of the law, a deep commitment of justice,
and he is a man of enormous character," the president said.

Mr Alito was one of the original favourites to replace
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who announced her
retirement earlier this year. There was some surprise when
President Bush nominated Ms Miers instead.

Today, Mr Alito said that he was particularly honoured to be
put forward for the seat of Justice O'Connor, who asked him
the first question in his first case before the Supreme
Court in 1982.

"I remember the sense of awe that I felt when I stepped up
to the lectern. And I also remember the relief that I felt
when Justice O'Connor - sensing, I think, that I was a
rookie - made sure that the first question that I was asked
was a kind one," he said.

The replacing of Justice O'Connor, who has held a swing vote
in a string of delicate social cases before the Supreme
Court, has been watched with particular attention in America
because it represents an opportunity for Mr Bush to alter
the ideological make-up of the court.

And today, right wing groups welcomed the nomination of Mr
Alito, who has been described as the "darling of the
conservative movement".

"The president has made an excellent choice today which
reflects his commitment to appoint judges in the mould of
Scalia and Thomas," said Kay Daly, president the Coalition
for a Fair Judiciary, referring to Justice Clarence Thomas
and Justice Scalia, the two most hawkish judges in the
court.

Mr Alito's best-known judicial stand is his lone opposition
to a decision to strike down a Pennsylvania law that
required women to inform their husbands before seeking an
abortion.

Democratic analysts said that Mr Alito's nomination came as
no surprise.

"It’s a pretty predictable move from a politically crippled
president," said Jim Jordan, a Democratic consultant. "Toss
out a judicial extremist to pacify his base and provoke a
fight that he hopes changes the subject away from
indictments and Iraq and Katrina and a soft economy."

Mr Bush will be desperate for Mr Alito's nomination to
proceed smoothly. His approval rating is at its lowest level
since 2000 and his administration was damaged last week by
the embarrassing withdrawal of Ms Miers and the indictment
of Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's top adviser, on
perjury charges.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1851462,00.html